Fuel and air mixing device



1937. J. R. WINKLE FUEL AND AIR MIXING DEVICE Filed Dec. 23, 1933' 2Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR Town R. wl fl mmew;

ATTORNEY Feb. 23, 1937.

J. R. WINKLE FUEL AND AJ IR MIXING DEVICE Filed Dec. 23, 1933 2Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR 8% R. Wi'hk l6 ATTORNEY modify action of thecarburetor Patented Feb. 23, 1937 UNITEE S'E'A'i'Efi 2,071,717 FUEL ANDAIR. MIXING DEVICE John R. Winkle, Ridley Park, Pa.

Application December 23,

4 Claims.

My invention relates to a device for supplying a supplementary richmixture of fuel and air to the normal mixture furnished to an internalcombustion engine to facilitate starting of the latter.

More particularly, it is an object of my invention to provide a mixingdevice discharging to the inlet manifold of an internal combustionengine, the device having a turbulence chamber provided with ports forsupplying air and fuel thereto and the outflow of mixture supply of fuelto the turbulence chamber being rendered effective at the time ofstarting to make starting easier and also preferably to hasten warmingup of the engine. With ordinary automobile engines, when starting, it iscustomary to by choking to increase the fuel supply, but this may besubject to the objection of flooding the inlet manifold and thecylinders and consequent more difficult starting as well as dilution ofthe crank case oil and thinning of the oil film on the cylinder wallsand about the valve stems. Furthermore, the starting motor may be usedexcessively with more or less pumping of oil causing fouling of sparkplugs and more rapid accumulations of carbon. Also, running with anover-rich mixture causes overheating of the engine. In accordance withmy inven tion, it is unnecessary to use the ordinary choke valve withtheresult that the aforementioned disadvantages do not occur and theimprovement is responsible for the following advantages: the engine maybe started instantly without danger of stalling on acceleration or atidling speed; the carburetor may be maintained with adesired leanadjustment for a warm conditionof the engine at idling speed; thecarburetor may be set for maximum economy for normal running speeds,additional torque being provided for when needed by partial opening ofthe device; the engine may be rapidly accelerated with the carburetoradjusted for a lean mixture by. using the starting valve in conjunctionwith the carburetor; fuel is saved in cold Weather, starting issimplified, and battery charging is reduced to a minimum; and the enginemay be started on a light fuel and changed over to a heavy fuel afterbeing warmed A further object of my invention is to provide a device forsupplying a supplementary mixture of fuel and of air to the mixturepassing through the manifold to the engine cylinders, the deviceincluding a stationary body having a turbulence chamber provided with avalve controlling the outflow therefrom to the manifold and beingprovided with a fuel port and one or more air ports,

to the manifold and the body it fits within the 1933, Serial No. 703,824

a valve cooperating with the fuel port to open and close the latter andboth valves being arranged to be open at the instant of starting.

A further object of my invention is to provide a device for supplying,to the mixture passing" through an engine inlet manifold to thecylinders, a supplementary mixture having a high-ratio of fuel to air tomake starting easier, the device being effective to supply asupplementary mixture having a lower ratio of fuel toair after theengine has been started to providefor warming up of the latter.

These and other objects are effected by my invention as will be apparentfrom the following description and the claims taken in-connection' withthe drawings, in which: V

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of an internal combustion enginehaving my improved supplementary mixture feeding device applied thereto;

Figs. 2 and 3 are sectional views of the mixing device showing the valvemember in different positions;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken along the line IV-IV of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 shows a modified embodiment of the device;

Figs. 6 and 7 show a further form of the device; and

Fig. 8 shows a modification of the device having means for adjusting thefuel supply.

Referring now to the drawings more in detail, there is shown astationary body ID for attachment to the engine manifold, the bodyhaving a cylindrical bore H terminating in port l2a formed with a valveseat l2} A movable bore and it includes a lower plug valve M cooperatingwith the seat l2 and connected by a stem to the cylindrical guideportion I 6 fitting the bore. As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the movablebody I3 is formed with an annular groove ll above the guide portion 5,the groove having fitting therein the yoke E8 of the bell-crank lever l9fulcrumed at to the stationary body [0.

The stationary body It is provided with one or more openings 22,preferably tangentially disposed with respect to the bore I l, forsupplying air to the mixing or turbulence chamber 23 provided by thebore l l below the cylindrical guide portion I6. The stationary bodyalso has a fuel supply port 24 for supplying fuel to the turbulencechamber, the fuel port being opened and closed by the cylindrical guideportion l6 functioning as a slide valve and being supplied with fuel bythe conduit 5, The cylindrical guide portion I6 is suflia discharge thefuel supply conduit tendency for ;a stream of valve. 29 and, if the.high fuel content ciently long to guide the movable member effectively.The spacing of the fuel inlet port 24 from the mixture discharge portand the spacing of the plug valve from the cylindrical guide portion aresuch that a substantial axial portion of the bore cooperates with themovable member stem to provide a turbulence chamber of annular crosssection. The directions of entry of fuel and air and turning thereof forflow axially of the chamber, as well as the high velocity of. flow,promote a turbulent flow condition and thorough admixture of fuel andair. Admixture is further promoted by the changes of directionrequiredfor flow between the plug valve and its seat and through thedischarge port; and,.in. addition to these direction changes, thedesired effect is further assisted by the impact condition necessarilypresent with inward radial convergence: of the mixture stream under theplug valve and the change of direction of flow incident to enter ing thedischargeport The cylindrical guide portion H3 'is spaced from the plugvalve I4 a distance such that, .With'the latter seated, the fuel.inletport :24'is covered or lapped by the lower part ,of theguide-portion, whereby, with upward. movement of the movable body13,-the

.discharge;portis first opened so that there is a air flowing throughthe turbulencechamber to be induced before the fuelinlet-permisopened,-.-so-that, when the inlet offuelstarts,therewalreadyrexists the proper condition, turbulent airflow, to secure intimate admixture of fuel and: air, and thisisparticularly true where flowoffuel to and through the inlet port-sis,contingent on the low pressure condition necessarily existingzin theturbulence chamber with high velocity of :fiowof air therethrough.

The stationary body ID has an externally threaded stem-or nipple25-fitting'a tapped opening prov-ided intthe inlet manifold?! (Fig.1) and25' is connected to a suitable fuel source, for example, to thecarburetor -bow1 :28. -As soon-asthe engine-begins to run,

sub-atmospheric pressure is induced in. the .manifold the. degreethereof,.for a given crankshaft speed, depending on the position of thethrottle plug valve element "I 4 is lifted from its seat l2, thepressure difference will causeFairto enter the mixing or turbulencechamber 23 through the port or ports 22.

*Itu's well known that any pressure drop of a gas. isaccompanied byreduction in temperature.

Therefore, the air in the mixing chamber 23 is atralower temperaturethanthe ambient atmospheric air; and, ifthe temperature in the manifold 27,is higher than that in themixing cham- *ber,-thereis no tendency toprecipitation of the atuel particles or vapor from the mixture enter-.ing ithez-manifold from the mixing chamber, the supplementaryrichmixture leaving the mixing chamber joining ithe mixture streampassing 'through -thevmanifold to the cylinders and the two mixtures'ibeingthoroughly admixed to produce a resultant mixture having asufficiently for starting when the engine is :cold.

-In ;F-ig. 2, the movable body, at full lines in closed position, thement l4 :being closed. against the 13, isshown in plug valve eleseat l2to pre- .vententry of air. or of mixture into the manifold from themixing chamber23 and guide portion the cylindrical l6 covering the fuelport 24. The Wide open position of the movable body is shown in. thisview in :dot-and-dash lines, the plug valve controlling outflowifrcm themixing chamb r lever I9. As

tion; thelower side of 'actson the cam surface into the manifold and thecylindrical guide portion controlling the flow of fuel into the mixingchamber being in open position, the fuel port 24 being then fully openso as to provide a supplementary mixture having a maximum ratio of fuelto air. The fuel-air ratio may be reduced, as shown in Fig. 3, by havingthe cylindrical guide portion l6 partially cover the fuel port.

Means is associated with the movable body i3 to provide for theadjustments thereof to three positions: first, when starting, both thefuel inlet port and the mixture discharge port are fully open; second,after starting, the guide porthird, when normal engine runningtemperature is attained, the body I3 is moved so that the cylindricalguide portion [6 covers the fuel port and theplug valve portion l4thereof engages the seat I2. If, as shown in dot-and-dash lines in Fig.2, the:bell-crank lever 19 is moved to its extreme counterclockwiseposition, then the movable body: I3 will be moved upwardly so that theguide portion lfithereof fully uncovers the fuel port 24 andthe plugvalve portion 14. thereof is moved away from its seat, thiscounterclockwisemovement being accompanied by deflection of thespring 30'by the cam on the bell-crank soon as'the bell-crank lever I9 isreleased, the force of thespring acting on the cam portion .32a causesthe lever to move in a clockvn'se direction until the spring nose 3.0aenters the depression .33, whereupon movement of the lever. and of themovable body 13 ceases,

' the parts'occupying the position shown in Fig. 3 in which .the fuelport is partially closed and the device supplies supplementary mixturehaving :a. reduced ratio of fuel to air suitable for warming up afterstarting. After the engine has been sufficiently warmed, the bell-cranklever l9 is'forcibly movedfurther in a clockwise directhe depression 33raising ordeflecting the spring 30, whereupon the spring 321) tocontinue, or to assist in the continuance of, clockwise movement of thebellecrank lever I 9 until the movable body I3 is inclosed position, thespring 30 then cooperating with the cam surface 32b to hold the movablebody in its closed position." a

In Fig. 1, the bell-crank lever l'9 is connected 7 by a link '36 totherod 31 of the choke button 38, .the .latterbeing arranged on the dash39. The starting motor switch 49 is actuated in the usual way by .apedal 4|, and the latter is connected,'by ailink '42, to one arm of abell-crank lever -43,:the other arm of the latter being arrangedoutwardly of the collar 44 of the rod 3?. When the pedal :4! isdepressed to start the engine, the bell-crank lever 43 is moved in acounter-clockwise direction to abut the collar 44 and thrust the link 36to the left to impart clockwise movement to the bell-crank lever 49 inorder to move the movable body H! in an opening direction; thisoperation continuing until the movable body I3 is in fully openposition, as shown in dot-and-dash lines in Fig. 2. As soon as thestarting pedal 4! is released, the bell-crank lever 43 moves in aclockwise direction, whereupon the springeilia'nd the cooperating camface 32a are free to effect movement of the movable body l3 to theposition shown in Fig. 3 to reduce the supplementary fuel supply ratesuitably for warming up. After normal or suitable engine temperature isattained, the button 38 is pushed back to its normal position in orderto effect movement of the movable body 13 to its closed position shownin full lines in Fig. 2.

In Figs. 6 and 7, there is shown a modified form of the inventionwherein the movable body is moved ina closing direction against theforce of the spring 48 by means of a thermostatic bellows 46, movementof the latter being transmitted to the movable body by the lever 41. Thethermostatic bellows may be associated with any suitable part of theengine, for example, with the inlet manifold 21. Thus, it will be seenthat, if the temperature of the engine part, such as the manifold 21, issufficiently low, as when the engine is cold, the thermostatiobellows 46will be contracted and the movablebody l3 will occupy its wide openposition (Fig. 7); however, after the engine has been started andincreases in temperature, the bellows will expand (Fig. 6) and themovable body |3 will, on account thereof, be moved to closed position.

While the spring 48 and the bellows 46 may be relied upon properly tocontrol the movable body l3, the latter not opening until the enginetemperature is low enough to permit contraction of the bellows andopening of the movable body I3 by the spring 48, yet it is preferredalso to have this arrangement interconnected with the engine startingmechanism. To this end, the pedal 4| is connected by a link 50 to aslide rod 5| having a notch 52 for cooperation with the nose 53 on thelever 41. When the pedal 4| is depressed, the notch 52 is alined withthe nose 53, whereupon the lever 41 is free to move clockwisesufiiciently to permit upward movement of the movable body, due to thespring 48, to cause the cylindrical guide portion I6 thereof to uncoverfully the fuel port 24 (Fig. '1). As soon as the starter pedal 4| isreleased, the rod 5| moves to the left, (Fig. 6), the right-handinclined side of the notch 52 acting as a cam on the nose 53 to causemovementof the parts from the full line position shown in Fig. '7 to theposition shown in dot-and-dash lines in Fig. 6, the latter posi-v tionbeing such that the cylindrical guide portion l6 partially covers thefuel port 24 to provide for the supplementary warming up mixture. Withthe attainment of sufiicient engine temperature, the bellows 46 expandsand causes the movable body |3 to moveto closed position against theforce of the spring 48.

In Fig. 5, there is shown a heating element 55 disposed in the mixingchamber 23 to assist in vaporization of the fuel.

In all of the forms of the invention so far described, the relative flowareas of the fuel port 24 and of the air port, or ports, 22 are sochosen that mixtures having the desired ratio of fuel to air are securedwhere the conditions and circumstances of installation remainsubstantially constant, fixed relative areas may be selected; however,to care for variable conditions, in Fig. 8, the fuel port 24a is shownas adjusted by a needle valve 56 threaded to the stationary body In andheld in adjusted position by the jamb nut 51.

While the improved fuel and air mixing device has been shown as appliedto the inlet manifold of an internal combustion engine for supplying tothe manifold supplementary mixtures suitable for starting and warmingup, it will be apparent that the device is capable of being used alone,instead of a carburetor of the usual type, for supplying a combustiblemixture to an engine. Also, the device may be used to provide a mixtureof air and highly volatile fuel for starting and warming up; and, aftera suflicient engine ternperature has been attained, the device may beclosed or cut out and heavier fuel supplied to the engine.

While the improved mixing device has been shown as embodied in aplurality of forms and applied in different ways, it will be apparentthat it is not so limited but is susceptible of various changes andmodifications within the scope of the invention as disclosed andclaimed.

What I claim is:

'1. In a fuel feeding device for an internal combustion engine, astationary body having a nipple for attachment to the inlet manifold ofthe engine; said body having a cylindrical guide bore, a discharge pertproviding communication through the nipple between the bore and themanifold, a fuel supply port communicating with the bore intermediatelyof the length thereof, and one or more air ports communicating with thebore and spaced from the discharge port a less distance than the fuelinletport; said discharge port having its entrance formed to provide avalve seat; a movable-body including a cylindrical guide portion fittingsaid bore and which functions to maintain the axis of the movable bodycoincident with axis of the bore, a stem having one end joined to theguide portion, and

a valve joined to the end of the stem remote from the guide portion;said valve cooperating with the valve seat to open and close thedischarge port and the valve and the guide portion being so spaced that,with the valve seated, the guide portion covers the fuel inlet port,whereby the discharge. port is opened before the fuel inlet port; meansfor moving the movable body axially of the bore including a movableelement in abutting relation with respect'to said movable body at theside of the cylindrical guide portion remote from the valve; andmanually operable means movable to render said abutment elementeffective to provide for movement of the movable body to separate thevalve from its seat and to cause said guide portion to uncover the fuelinlet port.

2. The combination as claimed in claim 1 wherein the valve is of theplug type so that the turbulent mixture of fuel and air is constrainedto change its direction of flow before going through the discharge port,whereby a more thorough admixture of fuel and air may be secured.

3. In a device for mixing fuel and air, a stationary body having acylindrical bore terminating in an outlet in the form of a valve seat,said body having one or more air ports and a fuel supply portcommunicating with portions of the bore spaced axially from said valveseat and the spacing of the fuel port from said valve seat being greaterthan that of the air port or ports, a movable body in the bore andincluding a plug valve element cooperating with said seat and connectedby a stem to a cylindrical guide portion fitting the bore and serving tocover and to uncover the fuel port and to guide said movable bodyaxially of the bore, means for moving the movable body in one directionto move the plug valve element away from its seat and to move thecylindrical guide portion so as to open fully the fuel port and in theother direction toclose the fuel port and to close the plug valveelement against said seat, and means providing for automatic movement ofthe movable body, when the latter is in a fully open position, in aclosing direction a sumcient extent to cause the cylindrical guideportion to partially cover the fuel port.

4. In a device forimixing fuel and -air, ,a stationary body having acylindrical bore terminating in an outlet in the form of a valve seat;said body having one or more air ports and a fuel port communicatingwith portions of the bore spaced axially from said valve seat; a movablebody in the bore and including a plug valve element cooperating withsaid seat and co .nected by a stem to a cylindrical guide portionfitting the bore and serving to cover and to uncover the fuel port andto guide such movable body axially of the bore; a lever connected to themovable body and which, when moved in one direction, moves the movablebody so that the plug valve element moves away from its seat and} thecylindrical guide portion uncovers the fuel fport and which, when movedin the other direction to a sufficient extent, causes the cylindricalguide portion to cover the fuel port and the plug valve elementto saidstationary body and move against its seatya'cam' carried bythe lever andhaving first and second cam portions separated by a depression; andaspring carried by deflected by said cam portions as themovablebody ismoved in an opening direction by said lever, said'spring acting on thefirst cam portion, with which it is engaged when the movable body is infully open position, to move the lever, when the latter is released,until the spring seats in the depression at which time the cylindricalguide portion partially covers the fuel port, and said spring acting,after operation of, the lever to disengage it 'from the depression, andto engage it with the second cam portion, at least to assist movement ofthelever and of the movable body in a direction to close and to holdclosed the plug Valve. element against its seat.

, JOHN R. WINKLE.

